Propane gas dispenser assembly



May 25, 1965 K. H. FRANTZEN PROPANE GAS DISPENSER ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 4, 1963 May 25, 1965 K. H. FRANTZEN PROPANE GAS DISPENSER ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 4, 1963 /4 M 7 d fm V United States Patent O 3,185,117 PRPANE GAS DiSPENSER ASSEMBLY Karl H. Frentzen, Omaha, Nebr., assigner to Northern Gas Products Company, maha, Nebr., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 270,623 2 Claims. (Cl. 111-7) This invention relates to novel means for injecting liquid propane into furrows made by the tines of a subsoil gang plow or spring tooth harrow during a plowing operation.

It has been discovered that soil which is permeated with an alkane gas is extremely beneficial for providing better growth of cultural or cultivated plants propagated in soils. Animal and vegetable pests are reduced in alkane gas inoculated soil, and in addition there is a suppression of the growth of weeds, thus allowing cultivated crops to have more moisture and neutrients available for their own growth. Further, `retardation of the growth of weed seeds as well as the growth of 4other grasses, save for cultivated grasses, such as bluegrass, is also accomplished with alkane gas soil injection.

Propane and other butane gases have been found sui-table for soil permeation. The use of these gases in soil inoculation is the basis of disclosure in my pending application, Serial No. 224,539, filed September 18, 1962.

It has been found in the course of injecting an alkane gas such as propane into the soil that the location of the injection nozzle -immediately behind or adjacent the tine cutting edge has proved entirely unsatisfactory because, upon gas discharge during an injection operation, there is a tendency to freeze the recently tilled soil to the cutting edge of a tine. The formation of a balllike mass around the tine cutting edges not only affects the size of the ridge-like furrows cut in the soil, but also imposes a greater dragging force on the tractor, thus requiring additional power to pull the plow or barrow.

According to the present invention, nozzle means used for propane injection is located behind the cutting or plowing edge `of the tine approximately 6 to 8 inches and is positioned to ride in the hollow of the valley made by the tine cutting edge. In addition, the discharge hole in the nozzle means is situated such that the propane Will be injected in the soil in a direction away from the tine cutting edge. As a result of the present invention, the problem of soil lfreeze-up around the tine cutting edge is alleviated and yet the `soil is easily inoculated with the necessary amount of propane or other alkane gas, after which the soil will fall back into Ithe hollow by gravity or by a leveling means following behind the discharge member.

Other features and advantages are inherent in the structure claimed and disclosed, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a gang subsoil plow or spring tooth harrow having a propane dispenser and dispensing nozzle attached thereto;

FG. 2 shows a side View showing the cutting edge of a typical tine with the propane dispensing nozzle rigidly attached thereto;

FiG. 3 shows a fragmentary view of the nozzle connected to a tine;

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view along line 4 4 in HG. 3;

FG. 5 shows a sectional View along line 5 5 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows a fragmentary view of another embodiment of the invention in which the nozzle is adjustably positioned relative to the tine;

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FIG. 7 shows a sectional view along line 7-7 in FIG. 6; `and FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of the dispensing nozzle.

According to the present invention, a spring tooth harrow having a `gang of tines is generally designated 1). A tank 11 containing propane or other suitable alkane gas is attached to the lspring harrow in yany suitable manner. The lower portion of the tank has a series of discharge outlets 12 with control valves 13 being connected to discharge outlet 12. A resilient connecting member 14 is attached to valve 13.

Tubular member 16, made of stiff polyethylene or other suitable material which minimizes heat exchange between member 16 and tine 2li, is connected to member 14. End 15 of member 16, deposed close to the hollow in the valley formed by the tilled soil, is closed and an orifice 17 is located near this end. Clamp assemblies generally designated 18, 19 attach gas discharge member 16 to tine `20 in any suitable manner. These assemblies are adapted to fit around sleeves 26 and are held in place by means of flanges 2S at both ends of sleeve 26. Sleeve 26 may be secured to tubular discharge mem-ber 16 in any suitable manner, such as by adhesives or frictional contact. As shown in FIGS. 2-5, clamp assembly 19 is composed of a bracket 21 rigidly attached at substantially right angles to the back side of tine 20. The bracket extends therefrom with a portion of the bracket lclose to the extended end formed to the contour of the outer circular surface of sleeve 26. A bolt hole 22 is located at the extreme end of the extended portion of bracket 21 while slot 23, adapted to receive a tongue 24 of a corresponding bracket 25, is located near the middle of bracket 21. Bracket 25' is also shaped to the contour of the outer circular surface of sleeve 26, while the end opposite the tongue end has a bolt hole 27. Upon assembly, tongue 24 is inserted in slot 23 and a suitable fastener 2% is inserted through holes 22, 27 to attach clamp assembly 19 around sleeve 26. Clamp assembly 13 is attached to tine 20 and member 16 in the same manner as described for assembly 19.

A further embodiment of the invention is disclosed in FIGS. 6 and 7 where-in clamp assemblies 30, 31 are adjustable to allow for optimum positioning of the gas discharge assembly relative to tine Ztl. In this embodiment assembly 31 consists of bracket 32 rigidly attached to substantially right angles at the back side of tine 2G. A plurality of spaced bolt holes 33 are provided along the length of bracket 32. Brackets 34, 35 have the contour of the outer circular surface of sleeve 26 formed therein in addition to havin-g corresponding bolt holes 36,

37 located at one end of the respective brackets and,

corresponding bolt holes 38 located at the opposite end of the brackets. Assembly of lthe gas discharge unit -is readily accomplished by fastening brackets 34, 35 together to encompass sleeve 26. Brackets 3d, 35 may be fastened to bracket 32 at any desired hole by means of suitable fasteners 39, 40, 41. Bracket assembly 30 is attached to tine 29 and member 16 in the same manner as described above for bracket assembly 31.

A further embodiment of discharge member 16 is shown in FiG. 8 wherein orifice 17 has been eliminated. Instead, member 16 has one end 42 which is bent in a direction away from the tine cutting edge and tapered to form a ygas discharge opening 43.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications ywil-l be obvious to those skilled inthe art.

What is claimed is:

l. In a soil lfurrowing apparatus having `a tine, said tine havin-g a cutting edge and a gas dispenser attached a first bracket rigidly attached to said tine behind and away from said tine cutting edge, said bracket having an aperture located lin its extended end and a slot located near the middle of said bracket, said 3 il@ thereto, a gas discharge assembly for dispensing gas into the soil following a furrowing operation, said assembly comprising:

a tubular discharge member extending into the valley formed during said furrowing operation, said member having an opening near the hollow of said valley and said member spaced from the tine along the entire length of the member to minimize heat transvfer from the tine to said member;

bracket .further including a portion formed to the contour of the outer surface of said sleeve, said formed portion located between said aperture and said slot;

a second bracket for engagement with said slot of References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS a sleeve having flanged ends, said sleeve adhesively 10 attached to said member;

a first bracket rigidly attached to said tine behind and away from said tine cutting edge, said bracket having a series of horizontal apertures located therein;

a plurality of clamping brackets having apertures lo- 15 cated yat their respective ends and the contour of the outer surface of said sleeve formed in yportions of said brackets;

a rst fastening means for adjustably fastening said clamping 'brackets to said first bracket; and 20 second fastening means for tightening and releasing 143,335 9/73 Cutclifie 172-744 X said clamping brackets for frictional engagement with 312,797 2/ 85 Bissell 172-762 X said sleeve. 2,458,670 1/49 Young.

2. In a soil furrowing apparatus having a tine, said 2,768,591 10/56 James 111-7 tine having a cutting edge and ka gas dispenser attached 25 2,843,066 7/58 Dugan 111-7 thereto, a gas discharge assembly for dispensing gas into 2,849,969 9/58 Taylor 111-7 the soil following a furrowing operation, said assembly 2,903,982 9/59 Floy 111-7 comprising: 2,924,187 2/60 Zimmerman 111-7 a tubular dischange member extending into the valley 2,988,026 6/61 Heckathorn 111-7 formed during said -furrowing operation, said mem- 30 3,092,052 6/63 Andersen 111-7 ber having an opening near the yhollow of said valley and said member spaced from the tine along the FOREIGN PATENTS entire length of the member to minimize heat trans- 658,733 3/52 Great Britain.

fer from tile 'tine t0 "Sad memef? ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner. a sleeve having flanged ends, said sleeve adhesively 3 5 attached to said member; WILLIAM A. SMITH, III, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent Noa 3,185,117 May ZS, 1965 Karl H. Frentzen It is hereby certified that error appears '1n the above numbered patent reqlrng correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as correctedbelow.

Column Z, line 47, for "to substantially right angles at" read at substantially Tight angles to Slg ed and sealed this 28th day of September 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents ERNEST W. SWIDER Allesting Officer 

1. IN A SOIL FURROWING APPARATUS HAVING A TINE, SAID TINE HAVING A CUTTING EDGE AND A GAS DISPENSER ATTACHED THERETO, A GAS DISCHARGE ASSEMBLY FOR DISPENSING GAS INTO THE SOIL FOLLOWING A FURROWING OPERATION, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A TUBULAR DISCHARGE MEMBER EXTENDING INTO THE VALLEY FORMED DURING SAID FURROWING OPERATION, SAID MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING NEAR THE HOLLOW OF SAID VALLEY AND SAID MEMBER SPACED FROM FROM THE TIME ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE MEMBER TO MINIMIZE HEAT TRANSFER FROM THE TINE TO SAID MEMBER; A SLEEVE HAVING FLANGED ENDS, SAID SLEEVE ADHESIVELY ATTACHED TO SAID MEMBER; A FIRST BRACKET RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO SAID TINE BEHIND AND AWAY FROM SAID TINE CUTTING EDGE, SAID BRACKET HAVING A SERIES OF HORIZONTAL APERTURES LOCATED THEREIN; A PLURALITY OF CLAMPING BRACKETS HAVING APERTURES LOCATED AT THEIR RESPECTIVE ENDS AND THE CONTOUR OF THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID SLEEVE FORMED IN PORTIONS OF SAID BRACKETS; A FIRST FASTENING MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY FASTENING SAID CLAMPING BRACKETS TO SAID FIRST BRACKET; AND SECOND FASTENING MEANS FOR TIGHTENING AND RELEASING SAID CLAMPING BRACKETS FOR FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SLEEVE. 